The “Unextinguished Flame” vigil demanding justice for the Chemmani mass graves entered its second consecutive day on Tuesday, as Tamils gathered near the Jaffna junction in Chemmani to press for international accountability.
The vigil began on Monday with the lighting of a symbolic flame at a site not far from where new mass graves were recently uncovered. The protest was launched by Tamil families of the disappeared and civil society activists amid growing scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s inaction over the mass graves, including the recent discovery of 19 skeletons, three of them infants, at Chemmani's Ariyalai Sindhubath burial ground.
Monday evening featured a story-reading session focused on the history of Chemmani and the brutal repression of Tamils in the region. This was followed by a night-time documentary screening, with participants maintaining their presence through to Tuesday, sustaining the vigil “with undiminished spirit.”
Speaking at the protest, Velan Swamigal stressed that any financial support for the excavation of mass graves must come from the Tamil diaspora “only if it is guaranteed and overseen by an international body.” His comments reflect long-standing concerns over Sri Lanka’s repeated failures to investigate mass grave sites transparently or deliver justice.
He further urged the global Tamil diaspora to step up their support by organising protests in their respective countries, in solidarity with the struggle for truth and justice led by Tamils in the North-East.
The vigil comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is expected to visit Jaffna, with calls mounting for him to visit the Chemmani site and ensure independent international oversight of the mass grave investigation.
